kamaile’unu ridge

February 14, 2014 2 Comments

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rock scrambling

No better way to bid farewell to the west coast with some good old fashioned rock scrambling. Referred to as the most grueling hike on Oahu, I made it far enough to enjoy a panoramic view of Makaha Valley, and no further, why would you? Of course Dylan ran to the peak daily. Pulling yourself up rocks and searching for pink markers was surprisingly fun and the view made distances that seemed to be a world away insignificant. Did it really take that long to get to Yokohama Bay?
On the way up a sight I will never get use to, a hunter with a gun casually slung over his shoulder. A lovely friendly guy, with a sympathetic grin about the steep slope. He was out since 5am looking for mountain goats. The prikly underbrush was more of a challenge for me, ah but the view, if only we had seen a whale it would have been perfect.
Then a breath of fresh air, a new, slightly more expensive airbnb on the hill above Waikiki, but without needing to rent a car we were coming out on top. Steep roads to the new place were definitely made up for by the stunning view of a sunset city.

Travel

The North Shore

February 11, 2014 3 Comments

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What is the real Hawaii?

If the west coast is the “real” Hawaii, the North Shore is what we dreamed Hawaii to be. We sat under a tree sipping on a coconut watching surfers navigate big waves. Behind us some locals began playing Ukelele and singing. Dylan ran and I read, while a woman carrying her baby bounced to the music. The atmosphere lacked that overcrowded tension you get on a touristy beach of a thousand people trying to relax together. It’s a laid back, beach shack, chips by the beach kind of place. Maybe we loved it because it reminded us of home with a Hawaiian soundtrack.

We took a hike into the forest and found it overgrown with Eucalyptus and blackwood, taking the Australian vibe a bit too far. When we got deeper in the forest got wetter and more tropical, orchids flowering everywhere. As we ascended there was the sound of a distant thundering, too constant to be natural, the army wasn’t too far away; it added to the atmosphere of adventure. Emerging from tangled trunks we looked down into a fern covered valley, all was quiet, no birdsong.

Travel

diamond head

February 10, 2014 5 Comments

It’s funny the memories that continuously bob to the mind’s surface, and this day had a particularly eclectic collection of imagery for me. A red headed bird I was too slow to photograph, an Amish family climbing the Diamond Head calling out Aloha to everyone they passed (the incongruous juxtaposition of this touristy place and their lifestyle made for merry conjecture back at the Airbnb, are they even allowed to fly?), the camaraderie of claustrophobes entering the tunnel, children swinging in aerial roots and a elderly woman’s delight on seeing our icecreams when we got back down to the beach (apparently it was a brand from back home). Of course the view was spectacular, but that old lady just sticks in my mind, so strange.

As we walked along the beach, killing time until we picked up the hire car (yes we caved, another 2 hour journey by bus at 7am was just too much, soft I know) it began to rain and the beach cleared, a lei floated in the suddenly empty water below. Suddenly a Honolulu beach to ourselves, we had our first swim, perfect.

Travel

blue mountains, black earth

December 28, 2013 6 Comments

As we descended the beast of the Blue Mountains growled, calling lighting from slate skies. The fluorescent green of regrowth jarred against charred trunks and the orange of crisp leaves. Despite the devastation, life continued, but there were no birds, no animals, no sound but the roaring of thunder echoing through the valley.

Dry, heat rose from rocks that suddenly became slippery with hot sticky rain. Then, the hail began. It melted instantly in the hot air filling the valley with steaming fog, perhaps we were not welcome.

We clattered down past rainforest tree ferns and damp cliffs and stumbled into intense sunshine, the growling stopped, had we passed the test?

Dylan jumped backward with a yelp. A black shining snake coiled itself lazily by the path. If this was the Blue Mountain beast he was not so scary, but we took a wide detour around the snoozing fellow so as not to offend. Then up, up again to the campsite at the top of the hill where tourists were regaled with stories of the infamous drop bear.